This invention relates to electric circuit breakers of the type having an externally accessible operator for manual operation between ON and OFF conditions More particularly, the invention relates to molded insulating housings of such circuit breakers, and still more particularly to a snap-in attachable collar for said housing which surrounds the operator and which may be selectively interchangeable with other collars having peculiar shapes to function as guards for the operator.
Circuit breakers of the aforedescribed type commonly have operators of a toggle lever or rocker type extending through a forward wall of a housing. A raised collar portion commonly surrounds the operator to project through an opening in a panel to which the circuit breaker may be mounted. Alternatively, the collar may project through a hole in a cover plate of an enclosure in which the circuit breaker is mounted.
It has been known to provide the collar with upstanding lateral walls which are coextensive with the operator to guard against unintentional contact with the operator, which contact might cause accidental operation of the circuit breaker. The lateral walls may extend forward at one or the other side of center of operator movement to function as a guard in one or the other operative positions of the circuit breaker operator, or the walls may extend forward over the full length of movement of the operator to function as a full guard in both operative positions of the operator. The particular type of collar and lateral walls of the collar are molded integrally with the housing of the circuit breaker. Accordingly, the appropriate collar or guard configuration must be determined at the time of specifying the equipment for the job. Later determinations to provide a different type of collar or guard require the complete circuit breaker to be replaced.